Love, Hate & Power
by Hero-of-Winds
Summary: To save a world charred and broken by warring suitors dueling for her affection, Amy must find the scattered Chaos Emeralds and become their equal. But a longburied past will rear its ugly head...will it change her forever? DISCONTINUED.
1. Chapter 1

**Me**: Greetings everyone! Hero-of-Winds here, with a new, shorterproject for you. This one came to me when I was watching a trailer for a Sonic flash movie called "Sonic X Cosmic Chase" onNewgrounds.Ashot of a crying Amyin a burning city gaveme this idea. What more ironic way to watch the world die thanfor the sake oflove?

**Amy**:You have a strange mind, HoW.Don't forget about Ancient Ways, Ancient Evils now! You didn't finish Scores, and I want to see how AWAE ends before you work on this one.

**Me: **No need to get pushy, Amy. Anyway, on with the show! This is from Amy's POV.

-- -- -- --

You girls would probably like having boys fight over you. It's a real rush to watch two boys equally in love with you to battle it out to win the prize of your affection, isn't it? I used to think that. But I was young and naïve. I was so close to my thirteenth birthday then.

But guess what happens when those two boys are the most powerful beings on the planet? That's right…it gets out of control. You can't stop it, and soon everyone and everything you know and love is burned to the ground, while you stand around and wonder what the hell just happened.

Is this a rhetorical question I'm asking you? Not in the least. It really happened to me. I watched the world burn around me as my two greatest Romeos, Sonic and Shadow, dueled each other to win me over. What's worse, _they're still doing it_, four years later. The images of that day play again in my head at least one night every week.

It all began so suddenly. Shadow came back a few months after the defeat of Black Doom, and immediately proclaimed his affection for me. We went out for several months. Sonic saw me and Shadow together several times, and boy, was he jealous…so jealous that he and Shadow, who had formed a friendship of sorts, started quarreling. There was one thing they could agree on…I had no say in the argument. Every time I tried to intervene, they would tell me to butt out, and it was none of my business. This rivalry began escalating and became more and more violent. I was one day shy of my thirteenth birthday when it finally boiled over.

Shadow and I were out at a restaurant one rainy night. Sonic suddenly burst in, and the two started arguing. Finally, Shadow threw a punch, sending Sonic flying across the dining hall. I immediately ran out, but I expected the fight would be over before long, and Sonic would retreat again to lick his wounds, both to his body and to his pride. But several minutes passed, and police began to gather.

Did they really expect to get Sonic and Shadow, the two most powerful beings on the planet, under control with just police? I was foolish enough to believe it as well. But it just gave Sonic and Shadow stuff to throw at each other. The two, who has apparently been throwing knives and forks as well as punches at each other, had advanced to throwing police cars. Neither gave an inch.

As I retreated, I was crying and bawling. I was terrified. Sonic suddenly broke combat and grabbed me by the arm. He was trying to make a getaway, but Shadow stopped him, causing me to be thrown aside. By now G.U.N. was in on this, trying their best to keep these two hedgehogs under control. I had confidence in them. Again, I was foolish.

The real nightmare began when a rush of energy came from several yards behind me. Shadow had used Chaos Blast. Buildings were starting to shake from broken foundations and people were panicking. G.U.N. was bringing its strongest weaponry, but like the police cars, they became big, heavy objects for them to throw at each other. As I continued to flee, I saw a flash of golden light, and then heard several large explosions. Office buildings were coming down left and right.

I wondered how it was coming to this...it was becoming less about winning me and more about crushing the rival utterly. I managed to escape to the city limits, and I watched the battle from afar. They were two shining, clashing stars gleaming in the rainy night, one trying to snuff the other out. My horror didn't end there…energy started raining down the city, setting it ablaze, like throwing a match on a haystack. I couldn't stand it any longer. I finally turned around and started to run…and I haven't stopped running…from them.

-- -- -- -- -- --

It's been four years now, four years that I've borne the guilt of being the reason the world ended. No one knows it, and no one would believe me if I told them that. If the guilt wasn't bad enough, that nutcase Doctor Eggman took control of the entire planet. He claims that he has the ability to stop Sonic and Shadow from wrecking everything, and to a large enough degree, he tries. After all, how can he have an Eggman Empire if there's nothing left to rule? Because of that, his regime has immense support.

The latest stop on my never-ending life on the run from Sonic and Shadow is a little backwater town that was mostly destroyed by them, but life still remains there. I know I'll be safe, at least for a while.

I've been able to survive by roughing it, scavenging through ruins for any food, and doing the occasional odd job to get it when I had no other choice. I salvage whatever clothes I can find that fit me. It doesn't matter if they're a little too small or a little too large. I have a small backpack with me, where I carry the two precious objects I had with me that fateful day four years ago: a picture of me, Sonic and Shadow together, just having fun. I had planned to use to remind Shadow that Sonic was our friend…but I never got the chance. The second was a black ribbon that Shadow had given me as a gift just before Sonic burst in. I've kept them in remembrance of the old days. I don't know why I bother to hold on to them. I've sworn a vow…I would never love anyone again. To like them as a friend, yes. But affection for me caused everything I knew and loved to die around me.

I find a good place for shelter and prepare to set up my makeshift camp. I notice that the shell of this house is already occupied: a short fellow in a black overcoat and brown hat. He's obviously trying to hide his face…why, I don't know. I decide to be social, and talk with him.

"Hey, there…mind if I keep you company?" I ask. He grunts, and I sit down next to him.

"So, what brings you to this dump?" I ask him.

"I'm just a treasure hunter…those two maniacs have unearthed quite a few undiscovered passages," the guy says in an oddly familiar voice. He's definitely younger than me. "I've been surviving by selling some of the more useful things…money's virtually worthless now. The real prizes are food, clothing, water and shelter in this world. People have no reason to have baubles and trinkets. But I'm after the ultimate prize."

I glance at his hands. It looks like he's holding some sort of tracking device…then I remember what it is, and who this character is.

"Okay, Tails…you can drop the act now!" I say to him. After a moment, he takes off the hat, and, as I suspected, it was Tails after all. But he now has a huge scar running over his right eye, and it looks like part of his right ear is bitten off. I cringe for a second, but realize it's him.

"To think I'd run into you here, of all places, Amy," Tails says quite happily. "I haven't seen you in four years! Where did you go?"

"Where _didn't_ I go is a proper question, here," I answer, standing up. "You're looking for the Chaos Emeralds, aren't you, Tails? What's your big plan? You _always _have a plan."

Tails suddenly starts grinning nervously. "Eh-heh-heh…funny that you mentioned it…"

"You mean you _don't _have a plan…"

"Well…not yet at least. One will come to me eventually. Until then, I think we should travel together. I've only had companions on and off, and you've probably been all by yourself. Weren't you lonely?"

I smirk. "No…I didn't need anyone."

Tails' jaw drops open, and would have gone to the floor had it disconnected from him.

"You…Amy Rose…not need anyone! Am I really talking to you, Amy!"

"I've changed, Tails. This damn whole world's changed. And it's my fault."

Tails is silent for a minute. He seems to understand what I mean, but then asks what happened. I tell him everything that happened that day, four years ago. He simply nods thoughtfully, but I know he's listening. When I'm all done, he gives his response to all this.

"You really need to stop blaming yourself. It sounds like those two were acting really immature, like two brats fighting over a favorite toy. If they're still fighting after all these years, it's probably gotten beyond that."

I sigh. Maybe he's right. They couldn't possibly be that obsessed over me…could they? I'm not sure now. But at least now I have someone to talk to. I have no affection for him, but I was definitely in need of a friend in these dark times.

-- -- -- -- -- --

I'm getting ready to go to bed when I hear a sound that I've been dreading. It's that telltale sound of Chaos energy crackling, and the rush of air of someone flying. One of them has found me, and I fear the worst. But my curiosity is greater than my fear, and I poke my head out of the wrecked building to see which one has found me. The red indicates that it's Shadow. The lesser of two evils, I suppose. At least he had my affection in the first place.

If I could see the red on him, he could probably sense me. And he does. I immediately withdraw and silently indicate to Tails that someone's coming, and to disguise himself again. I can hear Shadow land, and I hide myself behind a wall near the door. Tails lowers his hat.

"Hey, you…did you happen to see a pink hedgehog go in here?" he demands. Tails simply shrugs and remains silent. Shadow leaves and flies off to continue his search. After a few seconds, Tails removes his hat, indicating to me that it's safe to come out.

"If you liked him so much, why didn't you confront him?" Tails asks. I never thought about it before. I had always hid myself from them. Maybe I'm afraid of them. Even Shadow, whom I thought I truly loved, strikes fear in my heart.

"I'm not sure…" I say.


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter Two**

"That was a close call last night," I say to Tails as he makes us a meager breakfast. It's the morning now, but I don't know what time it is. Time doesn't really matter to me now. I could care less of when 3:30 PM or 11:25 AM is. The only important times for me and sunrise, noon and sunset, for those indicate the best time to settle down, get moving, etc. "I don't care to think of what would have happened if Shadow had gotten me."

"Try not to, Ames…" he replies. "Anyway, I may have an idea of what we can do with the Chaos Emeralds. You know how Sonic and Shadow are in their Super forms and all, right?"  
I have an odd feeling that I know what Tails is about to say. It's going to involve me going Super as well, I just know it.

"Well, why couldn't you do it?" he concludes. "You're probably strong enough now." Bingo. I must be psychic or something. I contemplate the idea…me, going toe-to-toe with Sonic and Shadow on an equal level. What a thrill that would be…I'm seriously up for this. I feel in my gut that this is the only way I can get those two to stop fighting.

I smirk and nod. "I'll go with that idea. I like it a lot. So, if I might ask, where's the closest Chaos Emerald?" Tails glances at his tracker. "It looks like its several miles due east from here. I think it's the red one."

I get up, grab my backpack and start out. "Great, let's go then!" I momentarily forget all about the trouble of the past four years, and think only of this grand adventure that's ahead of me. Just like old times…

-- -- -- -- --

"There it is, Tails!" I say, pointing to a red glimmer poking out of some rocks on a high ledge. It's the red Chaos Emerald, which landed about nine miles from the ruined town. I don't know how the Chaos Emeralds scattered, but they did, and now I was in possession of one. I eagerly climbed up to where the gem lay in waiting, and removed the debris that obscured it.

I take a moment to get a close look at it. I had never really gotten this close to the Chaos Emeralds, even to touch one…if you don't count the business with Chaos. As I pick it up, it gives me a mildly uncomfortable tingle in my hand, so I quickly toss it down to Tails, who catches it and puts it in a bag. He doesn't feel any discomfort, from what I can tell, probably because he's handled these things.

"That was certainly easy," I say to him from the ledge. "I can't believe no one's taken the Emerald for the past four years. I wonder why."

"Perhaps it's because everyone has forgotten about them," a voice comes from a higher ledge. "And that's the way it has to be." I look up and see a cloaked and hooded figure standing there. His face is completely obscured by the hood, but all I see are two amethyst eyes staring at me coldly. The voice is oddly familiar, but it doesn't ring any bells…

"Who exactly are you!" I yell up to this mysterious individual, although I'm sure what his answer will be. He ignores this and continues on with his warning. The figure extends a hand…a large, gloved one with two spikes on it, beckoning me. For a moment, I think it belongs to Knuckles, but then I see the glove is light grey, and not white. It can't be him.

"Give me that Chaos Emerald," he says, "…and cease your search. You'll only bring more pain and suffering to the world. This is my only warning…fail to heed it and I shall have to use more violent means."

I'm not about to listen to this guy. "Forget it, echidna…I'm going to find the Chaos Emeralds, and I have to stop Sonic and Shadow, since I'm the reason this is all happening!"

The hooded echidna smiles at me. "Oh…you think the two most powerful beings in the world would fight over a ditzy fangirl like YOU?" He chuckles, and this aggravates me, a lot. He probably has no idea who I am...or what I can do. I lash out at him, but he jumps away easily.

"You're a feisty one. I'll let you keep the Chaos Emerald, but we WILL meet again, Amy Rose." He disappears into the trees before I can catch up to him.

"Let him go, Ames…he won't get in our way again," Tails says. As I follow him, I wonder how this echidna knew my name. Maybe it was Knuckles after all. The only way to be sure in my mind is for me to remove that hood of his next time he appears.

-- -- -- -- -- --

It's now sunset, and Tails and I are settling down for the night. It was a pretty good day: we got the first of the seven Chaos Emeralds without much effort. But I had a bad feeling the others would be more difficult to obtain, especially when Tails groaned when he scopes out the next Emerald's location: smack in the middle of G.U.N. territory.

With Eggman in control of everything, there's no doubt that G.U.N is now working for that madman. To my surprise, Tails doesn't seem worried at all. He seems quite relieved that one of the Emeralds is in G.U.N's hands. He explains.  
"G.U.N was always, and always will be, opposed to the plots of Doctor Eggman. As a matter of fact…" He stops there, and it hits me like a ton of bricks.

"You're with G.U.N?" I exclaim. "But…you're only twelve! You may be a genius, but you're not even a teenager yet!"  
"They were desperate," the fox replies with a grin. "So they hired me. I've gotten pretty chummy with the commander, too. I'm pretty sure he'll hand over the Chaos Emerald…in return for helping G.U.N defeat Doctor Eggman."

I think about this for a minute and weigh the two possibilities: on the one hand, G.U.N could be a major help in finding the Emeralds, and I certainly despise Doctor Eggman. On the other…I feel they would use the Chaos Emeralds for some unknown end I may not like after I collect them all. I never had much trust in the military. After considering every idea, I come to my decision.

"Alright, I'll play ball with G.U.N," I say to Tails. "I assume you can take me to the base or something." He doesn't respond at first, but then pulls a radio transceiver out of one of his coat pockets, and talks into it.

"Code green for pick-up, I repeat, code green…" he says, "coordinates are at nine-four-eighty-six dash five-oh-two…over." He puts away the transceiver, and tells me that we'll be picked up in about an hour. I wonder what I'm getting myself into now…


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter Three

"Welcome aboard, Amy," Tails says to me as loud as he can, to make sure I can hear over the roar of the helicopter's propellers. Three G.U.N. soldiers are standing rigid, seemingly ready for anything. Tails offers to sit next to me, but I turn that down.

Once the copter takes off, I take the Chaos Emerald out of my backpack, and hold it up to one of the lights on the helicopter. All of a sudden it flashes brightly, blinding me for a second, while a warm pulse courses through my body. When my vision returns, I notice that no one seems to have reacted to this.

_What the heck was that, _I say to myself. I look to Tails, who seems to notice that something is on my mind, and he asks me that very question.

"Did you see the Emerald flash just now?" I ask him. "I'm still seeing spots, it was so bright!"

"You must be seeing things, Amy," he replies in a manner that suggests I'm crazy. "This place is pretty dim, and I would have seen a flash of light in here."

Maybe I am going nuts. I keep the Chaos Emerald out, though, because I like the warmth it's giving off now. For the first time in a while, my mind is at peace, and I even begin to doze off with it in my clutches…

-- -- -- -- -- --

I wake up about an hour later when Tails gentle shakes me. After a few moments, I realize that I'm still holding the Chaos Emerald, though it has now gotten colder. I put the jewel back in my backpack before getting up, so no one gets any ideas about stealing it.

As Tails and I get off the plane, he salutes several guards as we pass them. I look up at the base, which is like a massive, shining steel fortress. Guns are mounted in several places on the walls, while sentries watch the skies for an aerial assault. It's all very intimidating, but I try not to let it bother me. I just keep following Tails.

The massive gates whir and shake as they open, adding to the appearance of military might that G.U.N. tries to make for itself, despite its obvious inferiority to Dr. Eggman's own forces. Tails leads me into the equally imposing main building. As I enter it, something suddenly awakens in my mind…a brief flash of memory. I'm sure I've been here before, many years ago. The question is why.

"Hey, Amy…quit stalling!" Tails calls to me. The memory ends, and I follow him onward, the memory fading again.

-- -- -- -- -- --

"…Permission to enter, Commander?" Tails says at the door of the G.U.N. Commander's office. The Commander gives him permission in his strong but cold voice. Tails beckons me to follow. The office is dimly lit, illuminated only by a single lamp on the desk, which is stacked high with papers. Sitting at the desk is the one who I assume to be the commander. Even in the dim light, his eyes, one ruby-red and the other sapphire-blue, glitter like cold ice.

"At ease, Prower," the commander says in that same voice. Tails relaxes a little, putting his arms behind his back and opening his legs a little. The commander stands up and walks over to me, eyeing me carefully as he does. As I stare into his eyes, a feeling of déjà vu pours over me. I'm sure I've seen those gem-like eyes staring into mine before. Already I'm feeling a little dizzy from the thought.

"…So, Prower…why did you bring this girl before me?" he asks Tails.

"If I may jog your memory, sir," the fox responds, "you personally ordered me to search for her."

The Commander thinks about for a moment. "Ah, of course, I did. Thank you for jogging my memory, Prower."

"It was my honor, sir," Tails replies. I can detect a hint of sarcasm in his voice, and I wonder if he's up to something. The Commander turns back to me.

"So, you're Amy Rose, eh?" the military man says to me. I nod nervously.

"What do you want from me?" I ask. The Commander sits back down in his chair before answering me.

"Simple…all we at G.U.N. want is your cooperation. Our scientists have been studying the hedgehogs Sonic and Shadow for quite some time now…and we believe that we can beat them if we fight fire with fire…or in this case, hedgehog with hedgehog. That's why we need you."

"…To use the power of the Emeralds to beat them?" I ask.

"You're a smart girl, Amy," he replies, his voice becoming kinder. "You are to accompany Sergeant Prower on his search to find the seven Chaos Emeralds. I'm sure that maniac Eggman is searching for them too. You must make every effort to beat him to the punch."

I nod in agreement. He extends his hand, and we shake. A whole new adventure is beginning…just me and Tails. It's one that I'll never forget, that's for sure.

-- -- -- -- -- -- --

_There are bright lights everywhere, and I can barely see a thing. I can barely move either…something's holding me to this chair. I feel a sticking pain in my arm, and then everything goes black…_

-- -- -- -- -- -- --

**Me**: Sorry this was so short. But oh my! Flashbacks! If anyone knows what this means, don't say it for anyone.

**Amy**: Yeah! Don't spoil it for me!


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter Four

I wake up in the middle of the night in a cold sweat, the flashback still playing in the back of my mind. Whatever it was, it was not part of what I remember about my life. This memory…something must have triggered its resurfacing.

I look over at my backpack…could it have been the Chaos Emerald? Shadow told me that they restored part of his memory each time one was acquired. This can only mean that there's a part of myself that I do not know, and only the seven miracle gems can reveal it to me.

I take the red Chaos Emerald out of my backpack, and it tingles again, causing my fur to stand up on end for a second, and two words flash in my mind:

_Chaos…Shield…_

That's a Chaos power I've never heard of…I only heard of Chaos Control, Chaos Spear and Chaos Blast. This ability is totally new. It sounds like a defensive ability. Just as the thought crosses my mind, I hear the whirring of antigravity engines outside.

The next thing I know, the window shatters and three flying Eggbots burst into the room, their weapons aimed straight at me. They fire lasers at me as they fly in. Instinctively, I call upon my new power in the hopes that it will defend me. Immediately, a thin layer of red energy wraps around my body, and this shield absorbs the lasers easily, and the only sensation I get is a slight pressure.

The robots fire again, but this time I leap over their attack, and go into a homing attack, a move I had mastered since my last encounter with Metal Sonic, and dispose of the trio quickly. I look around at the damage done. The smoldering wreckage of the robots is on the floor, while small flames are starting to consume the rug from flying sparks. I smack the fires to put them out. The Chaos Shield wears off after about thirty seconds.

A few minutes later, several G.U.N. soldiers burst in, along with Tails, who is armed with a pistol. They lower their weapons once they see the damage was done. The fox goes up to one of the piles of wreckage, and looks over it.

"It looks like the Eggman Empire knows about our search. No doubt it's already begun to search for the Emeralds. It's probably best if we get moving as soon as possible…now would be optimal."

But as I nod to Tails, the Chaos Emerald sends me that tingling sensation again. I wonder if it's trying to tell me something. I have no way of responding to it, so I stuff it back into the bag and get ready to leave.

-- -- -- -- -- -- --

"Tails, I have to ask you something." I say to him as we're searching for the next Chaos Emerald. According to the fox's radar, it's the white one. We stare up a high ledge, about fifteen feet up. I can't jump quite that high, so he offers a lift. We grab each other's forearms and he carries me up, just like he had often done for Sonic.

"What's on your mind, Amy?" Tails asks.

"Last night, when Eggman's robots attacked me…I-I think I discovered a new Chaos power." The fox is so surprised that his grip slips for a second. When he puts me down, he is still flabbergasted.

"…A new Chaos power? Tell me about it!" the fox replies eagerly.

"Well, I think it's called Chaos Shield, and it makes me immune to attacks, but only for a minute or two. I don't know how I unlocked it, because I've never seen Shadow or Sonic use it, either. It's just so weird. And I've been seeing strange images lately…memories I never knew I had."

Tails smiles, but he seems a tad uneasy. "You must not be used to the Emerald's energy quite yet. They have been known to cause false memories to flash in the mind of one exposed to it for too long. It happened to me a couple of times, before I got used to it. Now c'mon, I think the white Emerald's close."

I follow Tails up a spiraling path, while he glances at the radar every few steps. Eventually, he stops next to a pile of large rocks, most of them the size of my head. The radar is now bleeping wildly, and I can see him smile.

"Great, we've found it. But now we have to get it out, and I have just the idea!" He digs through his own backpack, and produces a stick of dynamite and a light. He jams the explosive into a gap in the rocks, and then he lights it. We run back down the path until we're a safe distance from the blast.

About twenty seconds later, the dynamite explodes, blowing open the rocks and sending them up high. I catch a glint in the pile…it's the white Chaos Emerald! It hit the ground about thirty feet from us, independent of the pile.

Tails goes up to grab it, but something in the back of my head tells me to get it first. I pick it up, and it sends its tingle through my body, just like the red one did…but this time I listen carefully, and the name of a Chaos power reveals itself…

_Chaos Spear…_

Shadow's trademark energy beams…that is the power of the white Chaos Emerald. I smile inside. Already I feel capable of taking on anyone…the thought of going toe-to-toe with Sonic and Shadow glides through my mind again, and I relish the idea.

"Amy?" Tails says to me, snapping me out of my reverie, not seeming to mind my moment of greed. I glance at him before he asks his next question. "Did that Chaos Emerald give you any new powers?"

"I think…Chaos Spear, yeah!" I reply thoughtfully.

"Let's see you do it!" he says with childlike eagerness. I look up into the air and draw my hand back. I can feel the energy pulsing through my arm, and condensing around my hand. I let it charge for a second or two.

"Chaos…Spear!"

I make a horizontal chopping motion with my hand, and sure enough, a yellow, comet-like burst of energy flies out, travels about fifty yards before exploding harmlessly. Tails smiles.

"Awesome work, Amy," the fox says with pride. "That's two down, five to go. You want to head back to base?"

"Sure, why not?" I say. Tails radios a chopper, and we settle down and wait for it to come…

-- -- -- -- -- -- --

A small army of Eggman's robots lay smashed and broken before the hooded echidna with grey gloves. It was the third time this week that he had to fight for his life. The figure removes his hood, revealing a familiar face to anyone who knew him: Knuckles, guardian of the Master Emerald. He removes the cloak covering his body, revealing to no one in particular a hardened and powerful physique, even more so than in previous years. He sits down at a nearby rock and contemplates his mission once more…

-- -- -- -- -- -- --

"_Tikal? What's going on?" Knuckles exclaimed when the apparition of the ancient echidna suddenly appeared in front of the Master Emerald._

_"Guardian, the wind isn't right…" Tikal replied in a fearful tone. I think something terrible is about to happen…worse than before. Even Chaos is disturbed by the change in the wind."_

_"It's Eggman again, isn't it?" Knuckles replied, clenching his fist in anger. "I'll stop him!"_

_"Yes…the fat one is to play a role…but he is not the true threat."_

_"Have the Black Arms returned?" the red echidna asked._

_"No…it is…the friend whose heart was torn…" Tikal replied before fading away again._

_"…The friend whose heart was torn?" Knuckles wondered…_

-- -- -- -- -- -- --

It was now obvious to Knuckles who the threat was…but the question was why. He didn't want to have to find out…he would stop Amy and Tails from getting the Chaos Emeralds…to prevent the impending disaster…


	5. Chapter 5

**Edit : **Took out a sentence because it offended someone. I apologize for the offense and will not make it again.

**Chapter Five**

_Another day, another Emerald, _I think as I hold the blue Chaos Emerald up to the light. This one was pretty tricky to find…it was stuck in the hole of some burrowing animal. Tails and I had walked around for HOURS looking for it. As I handle it, I find myself talking to it.

"Why are you giving me these visions?" I ask it, half-expecting an answer. "Am I really supposed to remember something?" The gem, of course, remains completely silent. It doesn't even glint as a response, and I feel silly talking to it. Sure, these gems could make miracles…but talking was one miracle I should not have been expecting.

I lay the Emerald on the dresser and take one of the nearby remote controls, and turn on the TV. The first thing that showed up was some propaganda program by Eggman's regime. In disgust, I change the channel…more propaganda, this time GUN. I change it again, and again…each channel change makes me more and more frustrated. After about sixty changes I'm ready to throw it at the T.V., when I reach a news channel…and I see those two hedgehogs clashing again.

"This was the scene today not far from downtown Cairo," the news reporter says as images of their battle flash on the screen. "These two former heroes continue their city-wrecking battles, neither one claiming victory. Forces from Emperor Eggman's armies tried, but failed to contain the two, and they soon split off. Some speculate that they're searching for something…or someone. Whatever their object of their search is, no one has the…" I switch off the set and lay back in my bed, then I pick up the blue Emerald and start talking to it again.

"I wish things could go back to the way they were." I whimper to it. "Before all this happened…before they started fighting…before everything fell apart…I…I want my time back…" I hold the blue gem close to me as I cry myself to sleep…

-- -- -- -- -- -- --

_"W-w-w-what are going to do to me?" I stammer as the metallic facsimile of Sonic looks me over with his red, glowing eyes. I thought I saw a twinkle of curiosity rather than sadism in those eyes, but I was too afraid to truly comprehend it at the time._

_"I am merely performing a full data scan…I will not lay a finger on you," the robot replied coldly. As he continued to stare, I wondered what processes could be going through his head. He stood up, and his expression suggested that he would be smiling, if he could._

_"I never would have guessed…" he replied before walking away._

-- -- -- -- -- -- --

I wake up from my vision with a start. Remembering a technique about dream analysis, I quickly scribble down the contents of my vision as the memory of it fades away. What sticks out at me is the robot's last words…_I never would have guessed. _That has to be a clue. I know that somehow…Metal Sonic knew something about me that I didn't. Now I have another mission in mind: find that robot and get him to tell me everything.

I look at the blue Emerald…it seems to be glowing a bit more than usual. As I clasp it, I heard two words: _Chaos Heal_….another power. But how was I going to test it? I look around, and find a small shard of broken glass that the maintenance crew had missed. I try to shake off the idea, but I want to make sure it worked before it was needed.

Uneasily, I pick up the shard. With a gulp, I slash my upper arm, cutting it open a little. I cringe and try not to look. I whisper the words "Chaos Heal", and wait. For a moment, nothing happens, and then I feel a pleasantly cool sensation as the wound closes almost instantly, leaving no scar. I smile and fall back asleep.

-- -- -- -- -- -- --

"You're pretty peppy this morning, Amy," Tails says off-handedly as I sit down at the special dining room provided for us. To my surprise, I see him casually sipping a mug of something. He looks at me like I've said something stupid.

"What? It's hot chocolate!" the fox says with an annoyed tone. "There's some coffee being brewed if you're interested." I sit down and grab a pre-sliced bagel from the plate at the center of the table. I pull it apart and take some cream cheese. As I spread it, I tell Tails about my latest vision.

"I think Metal Sonic knows something about me that I don't…I want to find out what he knows." Tails stops and suddenly spits out the hot chocolate he was sipping and looks at me with fearful eyes.

"Amy, have you lost your mind? Metal Sonic's a menace…he's probably working for Eggman!" Despite his protest, I remain adamant and ask him if GUN has seen him recently. With a sigh, he tells me that the last time Metal Sonic was seen not far from the ruins of Station Square, and he may still be there.

"It's settled then…we're going after him…"

He sighs and shakes his head. "Amy…you're nuts."

-- -- -- -- -- -- -- --

"Chaos Emerald located, Metal Sonic," Omega said as he skidded to a stop in his lair with Metal Sonic, while clutching the purple Emerald. Metal Sonic looked over at his companion.

"Good work, Omega. Leave it on the table." The E-series robot walked stiffly to the table and placed the gem on it. He looked over at Metal Sonic in a way that would be attributed to a questioning expression.

"Metal Sonic…what is our purpose for gathering Chaos Emeralds?"

The robot hedgehog simply dimmed his eyelights and leaned back in his chair. "It will come in due time, Omega…all in due time…"


End file.
